Strange Holes in the Ground Discovered in Siberia

Siberian residents have discovered about ten tunnels of unknown origin in a field near a highway connecting the cities of Krasnoyarsk and Abakan, near the village of Kurgany. According to news sources, each hole has an entrance to a cave-like hollow spot in the earth. Some of the tunnels are big enough for a medium-sized person to stand upright and some speculate that all of the underground passages are interconnected. This has not been proven beyond the shadow of a doubt, although a few intrepid souls equipped with flashlights have attempted to walk across all the tunnels.

This region stretches for some 3,000 kilometers (about 1,800 miles) and lies in the middle of Siberia. On the north, it borders the Arctic Ocean. The area contains grave mounds and monuments of the Scythian culture that date back to the 7th century BC, which are considered to be some of the oldest in Eurasia. Settlement began by Cossacks in the 17th century and increased rapidly after the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railroad. Under both the Tsarist and the Bolshevik regimes, this territory was a site of exile for political enemies of the government in power at the time.

Local residents have no shortage of theories concerning these strange formations. Some believe the tunnels to be the handiwork of unidentified pranksters, while others point fingers at mysterious (and unseen) animals that dig holes in the ground. Still another theory purports a connection to the tunnels with an earthquake that occurred in the area some three years ago.

Krasnoyarsk scientists have not yet made any official statements as to the explanation of the phenomenon.